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What is Smiling Depression?

WHAT IS SMILING DEPRESSION?

Millions of people in the United States struggle with depression. Whether genetics, circumstances or a little of both are the main cause, depression is a normal part of life for many. While some may say they sought help from a support system or professional when they thought they might have depression, for others it is not so easy. In fact, many find themselves pretending not to have it. They smile through the pain and force themselves to hide it from those around them. This phenomenon is known by the name of "smiling depression".

WHAT IS SMILING DEPRESSION?

While you won't find smiling depression in the DSM, it is still a branch of clinical depression that many find themselves struggling with. "Smiling depression" refers to someone struggling with a major depressive disorder (MDD) that masks their symptoms. He is often referred to by the phrase "hiding behind a smile". An individual could be dealing with this if they are trying to convince others that they are okay even though they are not.

Signs and symptoms:

People who struggle with smiling depression (also known as high-functioning major depressive disorder) will find themselves dealing with the classic signs of major depressive disorder. This includes feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anger, or irritability. It could also include loss of interest, tiredness, poor sleep patterns, reduced appetite, overeating, anxiety, and much more.

You may be dealing with smiling depression if you are experiencing these symptoms, but are still high functioning, keeping up with certain life demands like your work and a social calendar that people most weakened by their depression couldn't. People with high-functioning MDD may also find a cheerful or positive attitude. They often feel the need to hide their depressive symptoms.

Why are they hiding it?

There are a number of reasons why a person with high-functioning MDD might hide their symptoms. Some common reasons are included below.

Feel like a burden

Many people who struggle with depression often feel like a burden to those around them. To lessen this feeling, people can try to hide their symptoms.

Shame

While much work has been done to end the stigma of mental illness, it still exists. Some may try to hide their symptoms if they feel embarrassed or embarrassed about it.

Denial

Accepting that you may need help with your mental health is a big step for many people. People can hide their symptoms by denying their existence or not wanting them to be real instead of seeking help for depression.

Maintaining appearances

If someone is used to having a certain role in their life, they can hide their symptoms to keep up appearances. This can be a form of denial or trying to control your situation and yourself.

THE GREATEST RISK OF SMILING DEPRESSION

Those who suffer from severe depression can often be at risk of suicide. Symptoms of depression can make a person think about death. Those who suffer from smiling depression are often at higher risk for suicide because they don't get the help they need. Due to its ability to function at a high level, fewer people notice what they are experiencing. Those with smiling depression are more likely to commit suicide than those with low-functioning MDD.

Getting help

If you think you may be struggling with high-functioning depressive disorder, it is vital that you seek the attention of mental health professional. Working with a therapist close to you can help you navigate your depression and find the help you need to feel better.

How to help others

If you think someone you know is struggling with depression by smiling, share your concerns with them. It's important to open up that the conversation so they know they have someone to trust in their corner. Listen to them and try to connect them with a mental health professional. Use the fact that you are concerned about a friend's mental health as a springboard for action: move toward them, not away. Realizing that something is wrong and talking can be the encouragement they need to seek help.

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4 Tips for Connecting with your Teen

Connecting with your teen

Let's face it: adolescence is tough. They are riddled with hormones, physical and emotional changes, increased stress, and much more. For many families, this time becomes a period of disconnection between parents and teenage children. And this makes sense to some extent because as our children grow older, we want them to become more autonomous so that they can successfully launch themselves into the world. However, adolescence is the most important time to make an effort to stay connected with our children.

THE VALUE OF THE CONNECTION

Why? Well, the connection is the foundation of all relationships. The connection acts as an anchor that allows someone to venture safely into the world. For teens, a strong connection with parents translates into confidence, inner strength, and growing independence - all the things we want our teens to develop as they prepare to pitch. This anchor also allows us to safely weather relationship storms. When we feel connected to someone, we can stay afloat even when the relationship is unstable.

The connection also allows us to be receptive to comments. If we don't feel connected to someone, we are unlikely to listen and be open to any advice, guidance, or direction from them. As parents, our job is to provide support and guidance to our teens as they grow and learn. If we are disconnected, they are likely to ignore or rebel against our attempts to parent.

4 TIPS FOR CONNECTING WITH YOUR TEEN

Unlike when our children are younger and eager to spend time with us, it can be a bit more difficult to find ways to connect with our teens. We have to be aware of connecting daily and being creative. Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Show them that you care about what they care about.

As your teen grows older, she is likely to develop a variety of interests and passions. You may like and understand some of these interests, but others may seem totally alien to you. It is natural to show interest in our children when they are excited about the ideas and activities that we appreciate. But it is equally, if not more, important to show interest in those activities that do not align with our natural preferences.

Connect by showing genuine curiosity about what your teen likes. Ask them to show you the things they like. Try to participate in the activity or engage in their interest if possible. Connecting with your teen around his passions will help him feel that you care about him because of your effort to care about what is important to him.

2. Emphasize what you like about your teen.

When I work with teens in therapy, they often share that they don't think their parents like them. While I know this is not true, sometimes I can see how they might feel that way. As teens get older, the connection between them and their parents can feel more and more transactional: do this; Do not do that; why haven't you ... you get the idea. If you have a teenager, I bet you feel like you are constantly scolding them. As a result, teens can begin to internalize negativity in the relationship, often drawing closer to it and downplaying the positivity.

Therefore, it is crucial that you emphasize all the things that you like, admire, and appreciate about them, and remember to tell them these things regularly. This can also be helpful for parents who are starting to get stuck thinking their teens are disrespectful, lazy, and mean - you fill in the blank. Focusing on our teen's strengths is really good for both parties and fosters a more positive connection. Take a moment right now to write down 3-5 things you like about your teenager. Then be sure to tell them the next day.

3. Validate their feelings and experiences.

Oh, teens. To a teen, everything feels like the end of the world. For parents, it can be really easy to fall into the habit of belittling their experiences and feelings - because, sometimes, their problems are so small compared to what we know people can face every day. But for our teens, at that moment, their problem is likely to be insurmountable. And we don't help them feel better when we say things like, "It's not a big problem," "It's going to be okay," or my favorite, "You're just my drama." In fact, using these empathy busters will make them feel bad and it will go a long way in making them feel vulnerable and detached from you.

So instead, work to validate your teen's feelings and experiences - no matter how small you think the problem is. Try saying things like, "This sounds real hard," "I can figure out what's bothering you," or "tell me more."

4. Spending time together.

Well, I know this sounds hard. I mean, how many teens want to spend time with their parents? It's like their job to act like we're embarrassed, upset, and it's inappropriate to be around, right? The answer is tough, but I promise they still want to spend time with you. They likely aren't the ones to ask for it so don't take that as a sign that they don't want to hang out with you. Take the initiative and invite them to do things with you or ask to share with them the things you know they love. Make these times as stress-free as possible. Don't talk about things that you know cause conflict or discomfort. There is plenty of time to talk about the school and their to-do list. Protect this time until you both feel positive. Take this opportunity to observe them and commit to all of their incredible strengths. These positive interactions will enrich your relationship with your teen and build trust and communication between the two of you.

Prepare for a strong parent-child relationship

These are just a few ways to communicate with your teen. Remember, the connection is a fulcrum that will help your relationship overcome fickle teenage waters. Take every opportunity to strengthen this anchor so that when you step out from the other side, you will be able to pull the anchor and sail into the wonderful adult relationship with your child.

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The Ability of Music to Reduce Fear and Anxiety

The Ability of Music to Reduce Fear and Anxiety

Music is a powerful thing. When we feel anxious or afraid, music can help us feel calm and relaxed. Consider the calming effects of music played at a spa or restoration yoga class. In those environments, soothing music tells our bodies and minds that it's okay to relax. Music's ability to reduce anxiety and fear is something we can use as a useful tool in our daily life.

Harness the calming power of music

We can implement the same strategies ourselves wherever we find ourselves. We can choose to play soft music in any of the following settings:

At home (as most non-essential workers find themselves most of the time during this pandemic)

In the car

While taking public transport or traveling by plane

While doing sports outside (walking, cycling, hiking, etc.)

Headphones can be a good choice if there is noise in your immediate environment, if you are on the move, or if you do not want to disturb others around you.

Find the right music for you

The types of relaxing music vary from person to person. You may have a particular style of music that has a special meaning to you. Also, there may be certain types of music that you are attracted to in certain moods.

Having said that, it is relatively easy to search for playlists or channels that use keywords like "calm", "relax", "chill out", "meditate", "meditate", "nature", "relax" "relax", "Relax", "Calm", "Calm", "Spa", etc. These lists provide ready-made playlists and confirm that this type of intentional listening is needed and utilized.

You have a lot of options. Slow and soft classical music can work well for this. Nature sounds can remind us of rain, waterfalls, streams, ocean, wind, bird chanting, and cockroaches - the rhythms of the natural world. While we may not be outside of ourselves or able to travel to those destinations at this time, we can experience the calming effects through the music itself - regardless of our environment.

Whatever type of music you choose, this type of listening can help reduce anxiety and fear by lowering your heart rate and pulse, lowering blood pressure, and reducing stress hormones.

Always singing

Singing along with songs can be a way to attract the music's influences to strengthen them. Isolation is one of the difficult effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While it is not recommended to sing face to face with people outside the home (all those deep breaths can lead to the sharing of germs), it is safe to sing alongside the music we listen to - especially when you are at home indoors. Singing has mental health benefits, including helping you feel more connected.

Get ready for bed

Choosing to listen to soothing music in the evening can help stimulate sleep and reduce insomnia. This can be useful as a way to disconnect from the devices, many of us look at during the day, as there is no need for visual interaction other than starting and stopping the music.

Make it a habit

One of my clients recently shared this after a recent session - in which she shared the comfort and relative privacy of her car - choosing, rather than listening to a news channel on the radio, to choose a station for spa music. She noted that she felt less stress as a result and found herself more comfortable and spacious. This choice allowed her to reflect on the content of the psychotherapy session and to absorb it more consciously as she moved on to the next part of her day with different responsibilities and tasks. She's thinking about making it one of her habits and taking advantage of this type of self-care at other times and in other ways.

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The joyful power of gratitude: How to be happy with what you have

Use gratitude to be happy with what you have

Today's world focuses on moving from one direction to another. With technology so much at our fingertips, we can forget to pay attention to what's right in front of us. The inability to be grateful for what we have at the moment causes many of us to suffer from a constant desire for more, triggering feelings of constant dissatisfaction with where we are and the inability to be happy with what we have. How can gratitude help us find contentment in what we have?

What is gratitude?

Gratitude is defined as being grateful or willing to show appreciation and return kindness.

The deliberate adoption of an attitude of gratitude means finding ways to be thankful for even the smallest joys in our lives and appreciating the things that helped us get to where we are. And once we show our appreciation, we return that kindness and help to others - and push it forward, so to speak.

Gratitude can help you be happy with what you have by teaching you to value what is in front of you, rather than what you want in the future. Studies have shown that showing gratitude can help improve our overall mood and life expectations.

Use gratitude to help you be happy with what you have:

Think about what you have

Even in our darkest moments, there is still a joy to be found. By choosing to give our attention and appreciation to even the tiniest symbols of hope and happiness when we feel things are less than perfect, we can actually make things feel better. Take a moment to focus on what you have instead of on what you don't have. It can be easier to root ourselves in the things we feel are missing from our lives rather than the things that are already there. Take a moment to express gratitude for the help you've received from others and appreciate the valuable parts of your life.

Think about the people who helped you

When you close your eyes and think about the people who helped you in some way, who do you see? You might think of a friend, family member, mentor, or even a stranger. How did they help you? Take the time to show these people how grateful you are to them. You can write a letter to them, give them a gift, or tell them in person. Studies show that expressing gratitude makes you happier and the person you thank you for makes you happier.

Show yourself a blessing

An important step in using gratitude to be happy with what you have is to be kind to yourself. This is especially important for individuals who may be tough on themselves or be overly critical of themselves for their actions. Showing yourself grace can help you get through difficult situations and forgive yourself more easily when you make mistakes. You will be more inclined to notice the good things in your life and be grateful for them.

Be intentional

Finally, be intentional in embracing an attitude of gratitude and watch it increase your happiness with the good things in your life. Take time throughout the week to be purposefully grateful. Take a walk in the fresh air, complete the kind deeds of the people in your life, and be nice to those you don't know. Watch out for fun and interesting things. Being deliberate can help you find joy in hidden places and be happy with what you have.

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